Hello, my name is Simon. I am a 59-year-old man who lives alone in downtown Perth. I am pleased to say that I have never had to spend a night in a hospital. This is because I know how to take care of myself. When I was growing up my grandpa often used to tell me that if you eat well and exercise, you will live a long life. He died aged 95, so he must have known something. However, it was only when I became friends with a doctor, that I discovered all the other things I could do to stay healthy. I decided to start this blog to encourage others to look after their health.
Most people experience minor hearing problems from time to time, with a little bit of difficulty making things out or some ringing in the ears being fairly common. Usually, these issues are nothing to worry about, and they're related to a non-threatening illness or exposure to excessive noise.
Because it's important to look after your hearing, it's a good idea to know when you have a problem that warrants an appointment with your GP. In particular, you should understand when ringing in the ears needs to be checked out. Here are the signs that the ringing in your ears might require medical attention.
When it's confined to one ear
Ringing that's caused by being around a lot of noise should be in both of your ears, even if there's a slight imbalance. When you're only experiencing it in the one ear, it could be due to a medical problem or it could be an early sign of hearing loss, but you'll only know if you get a professional opinion.
When it's really impacting your life
It should go without saying that any ringing in your ears that's having a significant effect on your life should be seen to as soon as possible, but many people still ignore it.
If you're struggling to hear, or if you're finding the ringing really distracting, just get it checked out. It could be nothing, but it's not worth waiting around to find out if it will get worse or stick around for the long term.
When it shows no signs of improvement
Ringing that's caused by noise or mild illness should clear up fairly quickly, so if you don't notice it improving after a few days to a week, you should see your GP.
Although it might still get better on its own after that time, it's best to get a professional opinion so any developing issues can be treated.
When it's accompanied by dizziness
Because the inner ear affects your balance, ear problems can cause dizziness or a feeling similar to seasickness.
This could be because of an infection, or it could be linked to damage that may cause hearing loss. Either way, you'll need to visit your doctor to get treatment.
When you've had long-term exposure to noise
If your job has meant you've spent a lot of time in a loud environment, persistent ringing in the ears could be due to damage.
In this situation, it's more important to see a doctor about it, as your likelihood of developing permanent issues is higher than normal.
Share26 July 2018
